Nollywood actor and former House of Representatives aspirant, Emeka Ike, has threatened to take legal action against Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the alleged disclosure of his voter registration details obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) database.
The controversy followed a social media post by Olayinka in which he shared information relating to Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), questioning the actor’s eligibility to contest for a federal constituency seat in Abuja.
The post, which included screenshots containing personal voter information such as application details, voter identification number, registration centre and photograph, sparked public concern over data privacy and the security of INEC’s voter registration system.
Speaking on a television programme, Ike described the incident as a serious violation of privacy and condemned what he called the misuse of citizens’ personal information.
According to him, it was unacceptable for any public official to gain access to confidential voter records and expose them to the public. He argued that such actions undermine public trust and portray a culture of impunity within government institutions.
The actor maintained that he was prepared to challenge the alleged breach through appropriate legal channels, insisting that no individual has the right to exploit another citizen’s personal data for political purposes.
Ike also explained that his decision to seek elective office in the FCT followed appeals from residents who encouraged him to contribute to the development of Abuja through legislative representation.
Meanwhile, INEC has disclosed that preliminary investigations indicate that the voter information was not obtained through an external cyberattack but was accessed internally using legitimate credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
In a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, the commission said its audit trail revealed that the information was retrieved through an authorized user account and subsequently released without official approval.
INEC stated that investigations had already identified the specific account involved and that relevant staff members were being questioned to determine responsibility for the unauthorized disclosure.
The electoral body stressed that there was no evidence of hacking or compromise of its broader information technology infrastructure, assuring Nigerians that the personal records of more than 90 million registered voters remain secure.
According to the commission, only a single voter record was affected, while internal reviews are ongoing to establish whether operational and access-control procedures were violated.
INEC further disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has commenced an independent investigation into the incident and pledged full cooperation with security agencies.
The commission warned that anyone found culpable would face prosecution and assured the public that the outcome of the investigations would be made public upon completion.
Reacting to the development, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, expressed concern over the implications of the incident for Nigeria’s electoral process.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the unauthorized disclosure of voter information raises questions about internal safeguards within INEC and could affect public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He noted that while INEC ruled out external hacking, the commission’s admission that sensitive voter information was accessed through official credentials underscores the need for stronger institutional controls.
Atiku called for a transparent investigation and full disclosure of how the information was obtained and released, stressing that accountability is essential to preserving the credibility of future elections.
The former vice president welcomed the ongoing investigations by INEC and the DSS but urged authorities to ensure that those responsible are identified and sanctioned in order to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.